Bathing suit



March 1, 1949. s, P E 2,463,309

BATHING SUIT Filed Jan. 5, 1946 IINVENTOR. .SADIE PRINCE.

BY #IW QEX ATTORNEK Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHIN G SUIT SadiePrince, Bronx, N. Y.

Application January 5, 1946, SerialNo. 639,270

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bathing suits and particularly to the trunk portion for covering the lower part of the users body.

Attempts have been heretofore made to construct a bathing suit which is removable from beneath other clothing donned by the user, but in general the prior art in its attempt to solve the problem has incorporated in the garment undesirable and detrimental contructions. The present invention accordingly seeks to eliminate the undesirable features and yet obtain a simple and effective solution of the problem and a bathing suit which will meet the needs of removability from beneath other clothing without injection of complexities and objectionable arrangements adverse to acceptable manufacture and use.

More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a bathingsuit of the character indicated wherein releasable opening thereof is confined to one region and t the most protected region of the garment.

Other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the'art to which it appertains as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof in the text and by implication from the context.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several Views;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bathing suit embodying the invention and shown in the closed condition as worn;

Figure 2 is an underneath view looking toward the crotch and with the crotch portions closed as worn;

Figure 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1, and showing the garment opened for removal; and

Figures 4 and 5 are underneath views, in open condition of the garment, looking toward the crotch, showing constructions modified over the showing of Fig. 2 by use of different forms of fastening devices.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the bathing suit is depicted as a so-called single-piece garment generally referred to in the trade as trunks. The garment is made of appropriate material, such as a knitted fabric, which is normally form fitting to the body of the user but adequately stretchable for donning or removing the same, and accordingly comprises a body portion Ill which will girdle the users lower torso in the vicinity of the crotch and up to the waist. The upper margin of the body portion I 0 terminates as a stretchable waist or belt portion H. The lower part of the.

body portion provides leg. openings I 2 between which are front and back crotch portions I3, Id. The lower edges of the crotch portions are separable from each other and when separated, provide an opening common with both leg openings 12 whereby the entire bottom of the body of the suit presents a single large opening at least as large as the opening provided at the waist of the garment and preferably larger than the Waist opening. In fact, with the crotch portions separated or disattached from each other at their lower edges, the garment has the characterization of a skirt or complete tube open at top and bottom and can be readily slid upward of the torso of the users body. The edges of the crotch portion in their entirety are crosswise of the tubular length of the garment and crosswise for their full length to the leg openings l2.

The margins next the lower edges of the crotch portions l3, I 4, are provided with appropriate fastening means for releasably closing the crotch of the garment crosswise between the leg openings. In Figures 1-3, the fastening means is illustrated as of the slide-fastener type, which provides stringers I5, [6 on the two separable margins of the crotch portion of the garment and including the usual interlocking fingers I? operated to locked or unlocked condition by a slider 18. The stringers and their fingers, in cooperation with slider l8 are of the character permitting complete detachment of the slider from the fingers of one stringer for released or open position of the slide fastener means. The stringers are located in the crotch of the garment, and the slider is likewise in the same region so as to have advantage of that location for protection against inadvertent opening. Any rubbing, due to straddling by the user on some object or engagement of objects while swimming, romping or the like, is practically never in a direction crosswise between the legs and there is consequently no probability of an inadvertent movement of the slider in use. However, since the crotch width necessitates only a short length of slide fastener,

desired opening of the garment at the crotch stiffness of the outer flap 20 due to its reenforcement or padding, holds it normally over the junction between the stringers and interlocked fingers, but as it is of fabric, it may be flexed as required both in normal body movement and hen necessary for operating the slide.

If preference dictates, use of other fastening means than a slide fastener may be included, wherefore the invention is not confined to employment of slide fasteners only. For instance, in Fig. 4, a series of snap fasteners are shown, of which the female members 2| are shown on the bottom margin of one crotch portion I4 and male members 22 at equal spacing on the other crotch portion l3, a covering flap 20 as before described being also employed. In Fig. 5, the fastening means is depicted as a series of button holes 23 on one crotch portion l4 and a corresponding series of buttons 24 on the other crotch portion I3, protected by an outer covering flap 20 which overlies the buttons in use.

When desired to change from a wet or used bathing suit, without retiring to a bath house or elsewhere, the user merely slips on one Or more other garments over the bathing suit, releases the fastening means of the crotch portion of the bathing suit, and pulls the bathing suit from under the other garment in a direction to remove it over his head while being amply covered from any semblance of indecent exposure by the other garments donned for the purpose.

' I claim:

1. A bathing suit having a body portion with leg openings and a crotch portion having lower margins with edges crosswise in their entirety between said leg openings, said crotch portion being separable for the entire length of said edges from one leg opening to the other and located at the lowermost part of th'ebathing suit substantially in a straight line, and separable fastening means on said lower margins of the crotch portion, said separable fastening means comprising stringers extending crosswise of and in the crotch portion and having interlocking fingers and a slider for locking and unlocking the fingers by movement of the slider crosswise of the garment in the crotch thereof and said slider being completely detachable from one stringer.

2. A bathing suit having a completely tubular body portion of which an upper margin constitutes a waist portion and the lower margin constitutes leg and crotch opening, said lower margin having portions attachable one to another for providing a closed crotch portion dividing the lower opening into leg openings at opposite sides of the crotch portion, and said lower margin at the crotch portion having lower edges crosswise in their entirety to said leg openings and to the tubular body portion and located at the lowermost part of the bathing suit substantially in a straight line, and separable fastening means on said lower margins of the crotch portion, said separable fastening means comprising stringers extending crosswise of and in the crotch portion and having interlocking fingers and a slider for locking and unlocking the fingers by movement of the slider crosswise of the garment in the crotch thereof and said slider being completely detachable from one stringer.

3. A bathing suit in accordance with claim 1 wherein a flap is provided longitudinally of the crotch portion margin and secured lengthwise of said margin back from said fastening means and adapted to lie in juxtaposition to the fastening means for protection thereof.

SADIE PRINCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,986,792 C'alco Jan. 8, 1935 2,008,773 Shapiro July 23, 1935 2,141,105 Eller et a1 Dec. 20, 1938 2,258,502 Perez Oct. '7, 1941' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,720/31 Australia June 22, 193-2 420,847 Great Britain Dec. 10, 1935 

